Trigg Minerals (TMG:AU) has announced ANTIMONY EXEMPT FROM US TARIFF POLICY
Download the PDF here.
Trigg Minerals (TMG:AU) has announced ANTIMONY EXEMPT FROM US TARIFF POLICY
Download the PDF here.
The first quarter of 2025 proved challenging for the cryptocurrency market.
Bitcoin, the bellwether of the sector world, suffered its worst first quarter performance in seven years, characterized by significant volatility and a prevailing downward trend. The top cryptocurrency’s lackluster movement was similar to price activity seen from other major coins, such as Ethereum, which also recorded substantial losses.
However, Q1 began with optimism following the results of the US presidential election.
President Donald Trump’s anticipated crypto-friendly policies initially boosted sentiment, and Bitcoin rose to its current all-time high of US$108,786 on January 20, the day he was inaugurated.
Crypto positivity was also reflected in options trading, where open interest outpaced the Bitcoin spot price.
Total Bitcoin options open interest vs. the Bitcoin price, January 2 to March 31, 2025.
Chart via Coinglass.
However, low volume provided insufficient support for high prices, foreshadowing the volatility to come.
Q1 data from Coinglass shows that Bitcoin fell 11.82 percent and Ethereum dropped 45.41 percent for the period, with February seeing the largest losses at 17.39 percent for Bitcoin and 31.95 percent for Ethereum.
Bitcoin’s price at the end of the Q1 was around US$80,000, while Ethereum — which has struggled to retake US$2,000 after dipping below that threshold mid-March — closed at around US$1,800.
Proposed economic policies, an impending trade war and poor economic data have acted as major catalysts, resulting in a turn from risky assets like crypto and tech stocks toward traditional safe havens like bonds and gold.
Despite market fluctuations, some areas of the crypto sector experienced notable growth and development in Q1.
Speaking at Benzinga’s Fintech & FODA Event in December 2024, Venable partner Chris O’Brien said that Sam Bankman-Fried’s conviction marked the end of an initial highly speculative phase for cryptocurrencies.
While cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology will persist, their future hinges on moving beyond mere speculation and focusing on practical applications that address real-world problems.
A defining feature, identified early in the quarter by Bitwise’s Matthew Hougan, is the continued and increasing involvement of institutional players in the crypto market. This trend manifested in strategic investments from companies like Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) and BlackRock, both of which accumulated substantial portions of Bitcoin’s supply in Q1.
Major banks like BNY Mellon, which have incorporated cryptocurrency services to allow transactions between certain clients using Circle’s USDC, also began expanding their crypto services.
Earlier this year, Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) CEO Brian Moynihan told CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin that the US banking industry is eager to integrate crypto into traditional banking if — or, more likely, when — regulation allows for it.
Alongside institutional interest, stablecoins saw significant growth in Q1. The total market cap for stablecoins surged past US$200 billion, outpacing Bitcoin’s price trajectory for the period.
Total stablecoin market cap vs. the Bitcoin price, Q1 2025.
Chart via Coinglass.
A key crossover occurred in February after the US announced tariffs targeting Canada and Mexico. The move resulted in a downturn in both cryptocurrencies and traditional markets.
Amid these developments, lawmakers turned their focus to passing stablecoin legislation, specifically Senator Bill Hagerty’s (R-Tenn.) GENIUS Act, which is currently awaiting a full House vote. Kristin Smith, CEO of the Blockchain Association, said during Blockworks’ 2025 Digital Asset Summit in New York that lawmakers are on pace to pass legislation establishing rules for stablecoins and cryptocurrency market structure by August.
Divestitures into altcoins continued from Q4 2024, although momentum slowed comparatively, a shift exacerbated by speculative meme coin trading and the controversies surrounding projects like TRUMP, MELANIA and LIBRA.
Bitcoin retook its dominant position, but notable interest in SOL and XRP remained, as multiple firms sought to offer spot ETFs; their approval is all but guaranteed by former US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler’s exit. Applications have also been filed to offer ETFs tracking SUI, AVA and DOGE.
Ethereum’s Q1 presented a complex picture, marked by both progress and setbacks.
The network increased its gas limit to enhance throughput and enable complex DeFi applications; however, competition from other blockchains — particularly Solana — caused it to underperform. Additionally, the upcoming Pectra upgrade ran into testing issues on the Holesky and Sepolia testnets, causing delays.
Declining network activity contributed to price suppression, but the tripling in total value for BlackRock’s BUIDL fund in the weeks leading up to the end of Q2 signaled continued confidence in Ethereum’s long-term potential and a broader trend toward tokenization, mirrored in the growth of the real-world asset (RWA) market.
The market cap of RWAs grew by approximately US$5 billion in Q1 to reach almost US$20 billion as tokenization was applied to diverse assets and expanded across various blockchains.
Q1 brought various developments in cryptocurrency regulation and policy in the US.
After taking office, Trump signed an executive order establishing the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets to establish criteria for a national stockpile of digital assets and develop a dollar-backed stablecoin; meanwhile, working groups in both chambers of Congress have focused on developing regulatory frameworks for digital assets.
While key aspects of regulation are still under negotiation, lawmakers and regulators signaled a more collaborative approach to cryptocurrencies under the Trump administration in Q1. The SEC dropped several longstanding cases against crypto exchange facilitators, formed a crypto-focused taskforce led by Commissioner Hester Peirce and repealed SAB 121, allowing banks to hold crypto for their customers without assets to balance liabilities.
Industry leaders also convened at the White House on March 7 for the inaugural Digital Asset Summit, a federal initiative aimed at gathering feedback on proposed regulations for the cryptocurrency sector.
Ahead of the summit, Trump signed an executive order to establish a Bitcoin reserve of around 200,000 Bitcoin (BTC). The US government currently holds 213,246 BTC. Bills that would allow the US government to acquire and hold Bitcoin in reserve have been introduced in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.The executive order also established a separate reserve for altcoins, although some industry analysts have questioned this strategy.
Transform Ventures CEO and Bitcoin Supercycle author Michael Terpin argued against holding anything other than Bitcoin, the only truly decentralized and consistently performing digital asset.
He likened adding other cryptos to adding stocks to traditional reserves.
State-level initiatives to establish Bitcoin reserves in Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah also advanced alongside similar measures to allow pension fund investments in digital assets in North Carolina and other states.
The first quarter of the year was marked by market volatility and corrections, with both Bitcoin and altcoins experiencing significant price swings that were not only driven by typical market data, but were also heavily influenced by current events, evolving policies and even speculative social media trends.
Another challenge for the crypto market was opposition to proposed legislation in the US; insider trading and market manipulation concerns also arose, particularly around meme coin launches.
Suspiciously timed trades occurred before Trump’s strategic crypto reserve executive order: a large deposit was made to Hyperliquid, followed by highly leveraged trades on Bitcoin and Ethereum, resulting in profits exceeding US$6.8 million. This led many, including a prominent crypto analyst, to believe it was a case of insider trading.
Analysis by Material Indicators on March 20 also identifies a manipulatory device known as spoofing by one or more whales, which it cites as a reason for Bitcoin’s failure to sustain a rally past US$87,500 in March.
Despite efforts to improve regulation and security, the crypto industry continues to grapple with hacking incidents as well. A major hack of the Bybit exchange on February 23 led to losses of US$195 million, although the firm managed to fully replenish its reserves within 72 hours thanks to a mix of loans and large deposits from other industry players.
Glassnode Insights analysts said the correction following the hack and subsequent US$5.7 billion withdrawal from user wallets pushed Bitcoin’s monthly performance down by 13.6 percent. Altcoins and meme coins suffered even steeper losses, resetting market momentum to April 2024 levels.
Moderate Bitcoin growth and price appreciation are expected in mid- to late 2025, tied to stablecoin and DeFi growth.
Bitcoin price performance post-halving.
Chart via IntoTheBlock.
Price targets for Bitcoin this year vary. Network economist Timothy Peterson has predicted that Bitcoin could peak around US$126,000 in the latter half of 2025. A meta-analysis of Polymarket estimates posted by X user Ashwin on March 26 identifies a bull target price of US$138,617 and a bear price of US$59,040.
The potential for a supply shock due to diminishing Bitcoin reserves on exchanges could fuel a rally. Factors like a weakening US dollar and an end quantitative tightening from the US Federal Reserve are seen as positive catalysts. Historical data shows April is often a turning point for the market.
Stablecoins and RWAs are expected to continue their role in the convergence of DeFi with traditional finance. Furthermore, initiatives like the Digital Chamber’s US Blockchain Roadmap, which proposes BitBonds (Bitcoin-backed US Treasuries), could revitalize debt markets and attract global capital.
Key industry figures like Galaxy Digital’s Mike Novogratz and 10T Holdings’ Dan Tapiero, anticipate new crypto companies listing on major exchanges like the NYSE and Nasdaq in the second quarter. This sentiment is supported by reports of initial public offering filings from companies like eToro, Circle, Gemini, Bullish and BitGo.
However, this positive outlook is set against a turbulent economic backdrop, including a possible slowdown in US growth and uncertainty around inflation and trade policies, which could influence sentiment and capital flows.
Speaking virtually at the Digital Asset Summit in New York on March 18, Cathie Wood, CEO of ARK Invest, expressed concerns about a potential recession, citing a significant slowdown in the velocity of money.
“I think what’s happening, though, is that if we do have a recession, declining GDP, that this is going to give the president and the Fed many more degrees of freedom to do what they want in terms of tax cuts and monetary policy,” she said.
However, Wood also said she believes that ‘long-term innovation wins,’ despite the recent market correction, describing crypto assets as a pillar of ARK’s investment approach.
Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Today, the UK stock market saw the FTSE 250 increase by 195 points (0.9%) to 21,628, nearly matching the 1.2% increase in the FTSE 100, driven largely by gains in mining stocks. This positive momentum is creating a bullish sentiment in the market.
The two London indices are leading the European market this morning. The DAX is up 0.7% in Germany, followed by the FTSE MIB in Italy, the CAC 40 in France, and the IBEX 35 in Spain, all of which are up 0.4%, reinforcing the optimistic outlook across Europe.
The gain for the Euro Stoxx 600 is just under 1%. Risers include Just Eat Takeaway, rising 17%; TeamViewer, the software company and owner of Kenco, JD Peet.
Among the higher risers, Wickes Group PLC, one of the UK’s listed companies, has seen a 3.3% increase in revenue despite facing difficulties retaining customers for its custom kitchen, home office installation, and bathroom services.
In the first half, this segment’s revenues were destroyed by 17%, offsetting the 1% growth in revenue in its core retail offering.
GSK PLC, the drugmaker listed on the FTSE 100, raised its annual earnings and sales forecasts due to strong second-quarter performance from HIV and cancer treatments, but the stock is currently down 2.5%.
Core EPS profits are now expected to increase by 10-12% in 2024, up from the previous guidance of 8-10%. Meanwhile, the overall profits are expected to increase by 7-9%, compared to the earlier estimate of 5-7%.
Nonetheless, there were some omissions in the data: vaccination profit fell 9% short of expectations as shingles treatment Shingrix was a 20% disappointment as US sales plummeted 36%.
This is due to decreased demand and inventory reductions. However, it is important to note that international sales make up about 64% of total revenue.
General medicine, oncology, and HIV all performed better than anticipated.
GSK/GBX 5-Day Chart
In the last five years, Greggs’ shares have increased by 40%, outpacing the FTSE 250 London stock. The company’s first-half (H1) results have given them an additional 5% boost.
The most recent data shows a 16% increase in profit before taxes and a 14% increase in sales.
However, despite these gains, projections indicate a minor decline in Greggs’ EPS for the full year 2024. However, the company’s first-half revenue increased by only 15%.
It is a basic diluted estimate that does not account for anomalies. However, it raises the possibility that projections are simply exaggerating the situation.
Thanks to these expenditures and a well-defined expansion plan, Greggs has produced substantial returns for its owners.
For the 2023 fiscal year, Greggs reported record yearly sales of £1.8 billion and a profit before taxes of £188.3 million.
The company also disclosed a significant capital investment program aimed at enhancing its manufacturing capacity and expanding its capacity to accommodate approximately 3,500 stores throughout the United Kingdom.
Among the top risers in the FTSE, Antofagasta PLC and Rio Tinto have shown significant gains. Antofagasta PLC saw notable gains despite no specific news being released. Rio Tinto’s positive results, which included a 1.8% increase in first-half profit, contributed to a 1% rise in its shares and may have influenced the broader market.
More significantly, there are rumours that the Anglo-Australian miner Antofagasta is eyeing a major opportunity in the copper industry, further boosting investor confidence.
The Footsie has continued to rise, hitting a two-month peak of nearly 8,374 following a 1.2% increase. This is the highest value for the London standard since May 22nd, topping 8,368.
Following a largely flat first half of the year, HSBC Holdings PLC announced an additional interim dividend and a £3 billion share buyback.
For the first half of 2024, the £0.10 per share dividend will equate to 20 cents, unchanged from the previous year. The share buyback is anticipated to be finished in three months.
The bank, with a focus on Asia, reported a first-half pre-tax profit of $21.6 billion, which was marginally lower than the same period last year, even though revenue increased 1% to $37.3 billion and certain “strategic transactions” had a net positive revenue impact of $0.2 billion.
The second quarter’s $16.5 billion in revenues exceeded analysts’ expectations, and the quarter’s $8.9 billion profit before taxes was significantly more than the $7.8 billion they had predicted.
Despite being lower than the 1.53% consensus estimate, the net interest margin improved from 1.7% to 1.62% a year ago due to an increase in the finance cost of average profit liabilities. These developments are significant for the stock market news UK, as they may influence investor sentiment and market trends.
In summary, today’s gains on the stock market news UK are remarkable, as the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 indices both saw an increase. Mining stocks, especially in the FTSE 100, have primarily driven these gains. Major indices have also increased throughout Europe, indicating an optimistic trend in the market.
While GSK continues to face difficulties even after increasing its earnings projections, Greggs has shown remarkable growth in both its stock price as well as profitability. Despite a little fluctuation in its profit margins, HSBC’s announcement of a significant share buyback and dividend demonstrates the strength of its financial position.
The post Stock Market News UK Update: FTSE 100 & 250 Rise appeared first on FinanceBrokerage.
Today, the UK stock market saw the FTSE 250 increase by 195 points (0.9%) to 21,628, nearly matching the 1.2% increase in the FTSE 100, driven largely by gains in mining stocks. This positive momentum is creating a bullish sentiment in the market.
The two London indices are leading the European market this morning. The DAX is up 0.7% in Germany, followed by the FTSE MIB in Italy, the CAC 40 in France, and the IBEX 35 in Spain, all of which are up 0.4%, reinforcing the optimistic outlook across Europe.
The gain for the Euro Stoxx 600 is just under 1%. Risers include Just Eat Takeaway, rising 17%; TeamViewer, the software company and owner of Kenco, JD Peet.
Among the higher risers, Wickes Group PLC, one of the UK’s listed companies, has seen a 3.3% increase in revenue despite facing difficulties retaining customers for its custom kitchen, home office installation, and bathroom services.
In the first half, this segment’s revenues were destroyed by 17%, offsetting the 1% growth in revenue in its core retail offering.
GSK PLC, the drugmaker listed on the FTSE 100, raised its annual earnings and sales forecasts due to strong second-quarter performance from HIV and cancer treatments, but the stock is currently down 2.5%.
Core EPS profits are now expected to increase by 10-12% in 2024, up from the previous guidance of 8-10%. Meanwhile, the overall profits are expected to increase by 7-9%, compared to the earlier estimate of 5-7%.
Nonetheless, there were some omissions in the data: vaccination profit fell 9% short of expectations as shingles treatment Shingrix was a 20% disappointment as US sales plummeted 36%.
This is due to decreased demand and inventory reductions. However, it is important to note that international sales make up about 64% of total revenue.
General medicine, oncology, and HIV all performed better than anticipated.
GSK/GBX 5-Day Chart
In the last five years, Greggs’ shares have increased by 40%, outpacing the FTSE 250 London stock. The company’s first-half (H1) results have given them an additional 5% boost.
The most recent data shows a 16% increase in profit before taxes and a 14% increase in sales.
However, despite these gains, projections indicate a minor decline in Greggs’ EPS for the full year 2024. However, the company’s first-half revenue increased by only 15%.
It is a basic diluted estimate that does not account for anomalies. However, it raises the possibility that projections are simply exaggerating the situation.
Thanks to these expenditures and a well-defined expansion plan, Greggs has produced substantial returns for its owners.
For the 2023 fiscal year, Greggs reported record yearly sales of £1.8 billion and a profit before taxes of £188.3 million.
The company also disclosed a significant capital investment program aimed at enhancing its manufacturing capacity and expanding its capacity to accommodate approximately 3,500 stores throughout the United Kingdom.
Among the top risers in the FTSE, Antofagasta PLC and Rio Tinto have shown significant gains. Antofagasta PLC saw notable gains despite no specific news being released. Rio Tinto’s positive results, which included a 1.8% increase in first-half profit, contributed to a 1% rise in its shares and may have influenced the broader market.
More significantly, there are rumours that the Anglo-Australian miner Antofagasta is eyeing a major opportunity in the copper industry, further boosting investor confidence.
The Footsie has continued to rise, hitting a two-month peak of nearly 8,374 following a 1.2% increase. This is the highest value for the London standard since May 22nd, topping 8,368.
Following a largely flat first half of the year, HSBC Holdings PLC announced an additional interim dividend and a £3 billion share buyback.
For the first half of 2024, the £0.10 per share dividend will equate to 20 cents, unchanged from the previous year. The share buyback is anticipated to be finished in three months.
The bank, with a focus on Asia, reported a first-half pre-tax profit of $21.6 billion, which was marginally lower than the same period last year, even though revenue increased 1% to $37.3 billion and certain “strategic transactions” had a net positive revenue impact of $0.2 billion.
The second quarter’s $16.5 billion in revenues exceeded analysts’ expectations, and the quarter’s $8.9 billion profit before taxes was significantly more than the $7.8 billion they had predicted.
Despite being lower than the 1.53% consensus estimate, the net interest margin improved from 1.7% to 1.62% a year ago due to an increase in the finance cost of average profit liabilities. These developments are significant for the stock market news UK, as they may influence investor sentiment and market trends.
In summary, today’s gains on the stock market news UK are remarkable, as the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 indices both saw an increase. Mining stocks, especially in the FTSE 100, have primarily driven these gains. Major indices have also increased throughout Europe, indicating an optimistic trend in the market.
While GSK continues to face difficulties even after increasing its earnings projections, Greggs has shown remarkable growth in both its stock price as well as profitability. Despite a little fluctuation in its profit margins, HSBC’s announcement of a significant share buyback and dividend demonstrates the strength of its financial position.
The post Stock Market News UK Update: FTSE 100 & 250 Rise appeared first on FinanceBrokerage.
Americans nearing retirement and recent retirees said they were anxious and frustrated following a second day of market turmoil that hit their 401(k)s after President Donald Trump’s escalation of tariffs.
As the impending tariffs shook the global economy Friday, people who were planning on their retirement accounts to carry them through their golden years said the economic chaos was hitting too close to home.
Some said they are pausing big-ticket purchases and reconsidering home renovations, while others said they fear their quality of life will be adversely affected by all the turmoil.
“I’m just kind of stunned, and with so much money in the market, we just sort of have to hope we have enough time to recover,” said Paula, 68, a former occupational health professional in New Jersey who retired three years ago.
Paula, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because she feared retaliation for speaking out against Trump administration policies, said she was worried about what lies ahead.
“What we’ve been doing is trying to enjoy the time that we have, but you want to be able to make it last,” Paula said Friday. “I have no confidence here.”
Trump fulfilled his campaign promise this week to unleash sweeping tariffs, including on the United States’ largest trading partners, in a move that has sparked fears of a global trade war. The decision sent the stock market spinning. On Friday afternoon, the broad-based S&P 500 closed down 6%, the tech-heavy Nasdaq dropped 5.8%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 2,200 points, or about 5.5%.
As Wall Street reeled Friday after China hit back with tariffs against the U.S., millions of Americans with 401(k)s watched their retirement funds diminish along with the stock market.
“I looked at my 401(k) this morning and in the last two days that’s lost $58,000. That’s stressful,” said Victor Fettes, 54, of Georgia, who retired last week as a senior director of risk management and compliance at Verizon. “If that continues, I can’t stay retired.”
Trump has said the tariffs will force businesses to relocate manufacturing and production back to the U.S. and bring back jobs. Some investors and business groups have pushed back, saying they are likely to lead to higher prices for U.S. consumers.
“Our country has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike,” Trump said recently. “But it is not going to happen anymore.”
The president has acknowledged the potential pain coming to some Americans’ wallets, but he continues to staunchly defend his agenda.
“MY POLICIES WILL NEVER CHANGE,” he posted to social media Friday. Later, he wrote, “ONLY THE WEAK WILL FAIL.”
Trump’s tariffs are steeper and more widespread than any in modern American history. They are potentially even broader than the tariffs of 1930 that historians said worsened the Great Depression.
Some Americans thinking about retirement told NBC News they feel their economic stability is being played with.
“I don’t want to have to worry that everyone is constantly changing my financial reality,” said Alison Carey, 64, of Oregon, a freelancer in the theater industry. “Let the economy do its machinations, but don’t put me in the gears.”
Paula said she and other older Americans are living with “anxiety about something where you don’t really know what’s going to happen. You can’t do anything though.”
She and her husband have decided to pause and reduce spending on big-ticket items. They are reconsidering vacations and home renovations.
“We can’t change anything right now, except our spending,” she said. “I’m sure there are consumers across the board that want to be cautious, too. Then it becomes a vicious cycle. Consumer confidence goes down.”
One in five Americans age 50 and over have no retirement savings, and more than half, 61%, are worried they will not have enough money to support them in retirement, according to a survey published by the AARP last April.
“It makes you realize how out of touch the current administration is with regular people,” said Benajah Cobb, 63, Carey’s husband, who also works in the theater industry.
He said he hoped the last few days of stock market turmoil would motivate lawmakers to put more checks and balances on the president.
“It’s happening so quickly. Things are falling apart so quickly,” he said. “I’m hoping Congress will try to step up a bit, the Republicans in Congress.”
Fettes said he has been calling his representatives about the tariffs and other issues “to make sure that as a constituent, our voices are being heard.”
“We believe firmly in our family that a democracy is a participatory game, and so we want to make sure that our representatives understand where we’re at and what we would like for them to do to represent,” he said.
Paula said that as she and her husband continue to monitor their retirement accounts, their biggest fear is how Trump’s policies could impact the quality of the rest of their lives — and when their funds will run out.
“That’s my big worry, when is that shortfall going to happen now?” she said.